Truth Seekers
by lishbug
Summary: I UPDATED! NOTE: the story DOES run in the universe of my other SVU fics, but see summary inside, lots of random info. AO
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm BACK! If you are picking this up off of the last two series I wrote this would fall 6 months after the last story, which was under Lifelines the series. I didn't like Lifelines too much, but I loved the Broken Olivia series (Like Father, Like Mother, Like Me through Classes, Cases and Chambers). I'm hoping with this new story I can capture some of the feeling of that series or at least tell a good one. This can be read with out the other series I think, maybe if your patient with it. So I guess we could sort of call this Season 3. Shall we see where the journey will take us? Sometimes I'm just as surprised and disappointed as you folks are.

**Truth Seekers**

**1.**

Olivia slumped into the hard plastic chair in the hospital waiting room. Her hand was throbbing. It felt like all the bones were broken. She winced when she tired shifting.

"Olivia Benson," a nurse called from a far door.

"That's me. I'm coming."

Olivia walked toward the nurse and followed her back to an exam area.

"What happened here Ms. Benson?"

"On the job accident."

"What's your job?"

"I'm a detective, NYPD."

"How did your hand get like this?"

"My partner shut my hand in the door of the car."

"Mhmm. Well I'm sure the doctor will want to take x-rays. One of the doctors will be down to see you in a few minutes."

"Thanks."

Olivia sat on the cot with her hand cradled in her lap. The nurse had given her an icepack, but it didn't seem to be helping a whole lot. 5 long minutes passed before a face appeared around the curtain.

"Olivia, I say we have to stop meeting like this."

"Dr. Vic!"

"How are you?"

"I'm alright considering."

Dr. Vicky Valez nodded as she carefully lifted Olivia's hand to exam it. Then she called in a tech and they took a x-ray with a machine he had brought in with him.

"Well it's definitely broken. We'll know more once we get the x-rays back."

"How long will that take?"

"Why got a hot date?"

"No just wondering," Olivia laughed.

"Well I'm not sure, we aren't really backed up so it might only take a little while," Dr. Vic sent the films out to be developed with the Tech after signing off on them.

"Okay."

"So how's that Alex of yours, isn't it?"

"Yes, Alex. She's great. We've been together for about 3 years now." Olivia said with a smile.

"That's great. So how is it that Elliot managed to slam your hand in the door?"

"Oh I'm not partnered with Elliot anymore. He was shot about 7 months ago and ended up taking a long leave of absence. He has been teaching at the Academy for a little over 6 months now. I have a new partner Jessie Clay. She's pretty good. We had a perp who's friend smashed into Jessie as we were booking him. Just as I was pulling my hands away from the car, she slammed into it and the door, which crushed my hand."

"Sounds like quite the story," Dr. Vic laughed.

"Yeah pretty unbelievable. It will be an interesting write up."

"I'll bet. Well I'm going to check on your work and I'll be back in a few minutes. Take a rest, I know how much sleep you get most nights."

Olivia smiled and rested her head back onto the bed. It wouldn't hurt to take a little nap while she waited. Dr. Vic had given her some pain meds and they had already kicked in making it easy to fall asleep.

It seemed like Olivia had just shut her eyes when Dr. Vic was shaking her awake.

"You're all set to go."

"Wait don't you need to…" Olivia stopped speaking when she realized that she already had a cast on her hand.

Dr. Vic smiled, "You are quite the sleeper with those meds."

Olivia laughed, "Yeah I guess I am. Thanks."

Olivia maneuvered her blue encased hand through her jacket and hopped off of the hospital bed.

"Do you have someone to drive you home? You're going to be groggy for a couple hours with the meds and I have a script here for some more painkillers to get you over the hump. Its going to smart for a few days. Then its probably going to start itching. If a few weeks you will be able to get the cast off. You can come back here or go to your regular doctor."

"Well, you pretty much are my regular doctor and I'll catch a cab home."

"You know Olivia, you really should have a regular doctor."

"I know, I know. Thanks Dr. Vic, I'll see you in a few weeks."

"Alright. Take care."

Olivia dialed for a cab on her way out of the hospital and waited in the cool fall air for its arrival.

She loved the fall. It was cool and fairly dry. Yet it was still warm enough to enjoy being outside and going for runs or strolls in the park. You didn't need a heavy jacket. She could get by in her favorite brown leather jacket or a light wind breaker. On off days she like to just wear a sweater or hooded sweatshirt around the house or city.

She took a deep cleansing breath. The smell of fall was another thing Olivia loved as well as the sights of fall. The leaves on the trees turning colors and falling to the ground. It was a sad time of year, but you knew that spring would come eventually.

A yellow cab pulled up to the curb and Olivia climbed in, and after stopping at the pharmacy gave directions to her apartment.

The elevator was out of service. She glared at the sign taped to the doors and made for the stairs. Luckily she only had to go up 3 flights, but she was already tired from the pain medication. After taking off her coat she landed haphazardly on the couch and tried to relax into a nap.

/elsewhere in the city/

The day was almost over, just one more stop before heading home.

Alex Cabot's heals clicked down the hall toward the bullpen at the precinct. She was bringing news to Cragen about the cases in progress and picking up information from Fin about another case that just opened.

She was so tired. It had been a trying day. She was in court all day, only seeing her office for about 25 minutes that was suppose to be a lunch hour. However she ended up fielding phone calls from Hudson U. She had taught there the previous year, an instructor in the pre law program. However, with the way the DA's office was understaffed at the moment she was taking a leave from teaching. Even only there a year the pre law program head and students really missed her. It was a hard decision, but she didn't feel like her work with the DA's office was over yet.

She found herself standing outside the doors of the bullpen and shook her head to clear her thoughts. The bustle of the police station filling her senses. She marched right through the doors and to Cragen's office and knocked.

"Come in!"

Alex opened the door and stepped in.

"Don, we're loosing the Masser case. I need anything else you can."

"I don't know what else I can give you Alex. Munch has been hauling ass on this case for weeks. This is the only plausible and supported explanation for her death."

Alex frowned and then nodded.

"I guess I'll have to see what can be done for the case. Keep your guys with an eye on it, maybe something will come up in trial."

"Will do counselor."

Alex left Cragen to his work and went in search of Fin to retrieve whatever it was he wanted to give her.

"Here is a file on the new evidence for the Rogers case," Fin said handing her a folder.

"Thanks Fin," Alex tucked it into her carry all brief case. It seemed to get heavier as the day went on, her shoulder was starting to ache.

She looked around the room to see if Olivia was still there or had left yet. All she saw was Jessie bent over a report of some kind.

"Jessie, where's Olivia."

"Didn't you get the message?" Jessie asked with a confused look on her face

"What message?" Alex scrambled for her phone. It was dead, she must not have charged it last night. "Perfect."

"We had a perp's friend slam into me and the cruiser's door as Olivia was putting our guy in the back. Slammed real hard into her hand. I dropped her off at the ER and she left a message for you, because she knew you were in court."

"Why didn't you stay with her?" Alex was a little upset.

"She was insistent that I come back here and start processing the guy and finish working the case."

"Where is she now?"

"Home I think. She said she would call a cab if she didn't hear back from you."

Alex nodded. "Thanks Jessie."

Alex hurried out of the precinct and toward home. The day was done finally. She wanted to just put up her feet and relax, tomorrow she had to do it all over again. Now she had to check on Olivia too. Hopefully she would be home and safe. She hailed a cab and sunk in as the little yellow car sped toward home.

Her feet ached by the time she entered the apartment building. She couldn't wait to take off her heals and walk around barefoot. She noticed the sign on the elevator doors and almost wanted to cry. She gingerly walked up the 3 flights of stairs. The only thing keeping her shoes on was thought of what might be on the stairs. They lived in a nice apartment building, but the communal stairwell and stocking feet just didn't mesh for Alex. Her toes pinched terribly by the time she entered the apartment.

She unceremoniously peeled her shoes from her feet and dropped them on the floor. She could almost feel her toes breath a sigh of relief when the air hit them. Before entering the living room she stripped her legs of the pantyhose and wadded them in a ball. The day was definitely over.

She savored walking in bare feet on the short journey to the living room. A grin played on her lips as she took in the sight of Olivia draped on the couch sound asleep. She bent down and kissed Olivia on her cheek. Olivia stirred and opened her eyes, they were heavy with sleep. She took a couple minutes to adjust and then sat up and grinned slightly at Alex.

"Rough day," Alex asked as she plopped down next to Olivia.

"You could say that," Olivia lifted up the blue cast that encased her hand to emphasize.

Alex stuck out her lower lip in a pout, "Jessie filled me in. Are you okay? I'm so sorry I didn't get your message, my phone died sometime today."

"It's okay, you're here now. Nothing you could have done anyway. I saw Dr. Vic today. She asked about you."

"Oh. How is she."

"She seems well."

"That's good. So how long do you need the cast?"

"Looks like a few weeks. It doesn't look like there is any permanent damage though. On the bright side I got some nice pain killers out of the whole deal. How was court?" Olivia rested her head on Alex's shoulder.

"Long, my feet hurt and I missed lunch. I spent all 25 minutes I had free today on the phone with Hudson U. They want me back for next term. I'm not sure I can afford to go back with the DA's office so understaffed. And to top it all off we are loosing the Masser case. Don says there is no more evidence, no more proof that he killed that girl and the defense has basically won already. Its just a frustrating case, I'm trying not to give up on it. I've been playing phone tag with Branch all day… Oh no… can I use your cell?"

"Sure, here," Olivia handed Alex her cell from where it landed when she tossed it before her nap.

Alex dialed the voicemail service and entered her pin when asked. She pursed her lips as she listened to the messages. After a few moments she snapped it shut.

"We've lost the Masser case. It's going to be dismissed in the morning because he apparently is wanted by the FBI on higher charges then manslaughter." Alex hung her head.

Olivia pulled her into a hug. "It will be okay"

"But the family won't get closure."

Olivia nodded slightly understanding Alex's point. It was out of her hands. Munch would not like the news however after all the time he had spent on the case.

"How about we order some dinner and call it an early night?" Olivia stood up from the couch and stretched.

"That sounds like a wonderful plan," Alex responded with a yawn.

"Why don't you go take a shower and change out of those work clothes while I call the… Chinese place.

"Perfect."

The two women went about their business and settled down with their food 40 minutes later, both showered and in pajamas. They ate at the coffee table and watched a rerun of Murphy Brown. They laughed at the antics of the characters and how Murphy's latest secretary was hired and subsequently fired all within the 30 minute show.

They helped each other off the floor after 2 episodes of the show and threw away the remains of dinner on their way to bed.

They were both out like a light when their heads hit the pillows.

Olivia woke a few hours later, her hand throbbing. She tried shifting but just couldn't find a comfortable position. She finally got up after a few minutes of moving around to take some pain meds. While she was padding around the kitchen her cell phone went off. She rushed into the living room to answer it before it woke up Alex.

"Benson," she yawned into the phone.

"Olivia, I need your help."

TBC

Stay tuned for the next installment of Truth Seekers. How will the rest of the week go? Will Alex make a decision about the DA's office and Hudson U? How will Olivia handle the broken hand? And most importantly…. WHO called????


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I've been snowed in for a week and my college town and surrounding towns have made multiple national news shows. We have over 70 inches of snow is some areas and some unofficial reports of over 100 inches, this has all fallen in a week. And its still snowing, between my normal class schedule and the snow days we have had I haven't had class in over a week. I feel really lazy so I'm forcing myself to finish this chapter. Put of the reason I haven't updated while snowed in is I'm kinda jealous of Alex and Olivia in this story…. Its no fun being snowed in and single…haha.

Also as for my knowledge of NYC and Central Park I know nothing of geography or street names or placements of business or entrances to the park…

I've read a lot of fan fiction the last couple days, nice job people. So as a thank you for helping me keep my sanity I'm throwing a shout out to a couple awesome writers with some stories out there (check them out if you haven't already):   
SVURaider1-6 for "Ignis Satus," protejerinnocencia for "Return to Me," and Supergirl06 for "Tiny Dancer."

**Truth Seekers**

**2.**

"Who is this?" Olivia asked suddenly alert.

"Bev… oh Olivia he took my children!"

"Bev… Bev! Calm down, what happened," Olivia suddenly remembered. About 3 years ago Olivia had a case with a Beverly Jones, she had two children, she lived in Olivia's old apartment building and she was raped there.

"I only stepped out for a minute. I went down to get the mail, I locked the door, I know I shouldn't have left them but I was only going down stairs. They are gone Olivia!" Bev was crying hystarically.

Olivia's hand ached, she hadn't been able to take a pain med before the phone had rung.

"Bev, have you moved?"

"No," Bev wailed.

"Okay I'm coming over, just hold on a second. I'm going to call my partner okay and we will be there soon. Hold tight, don't leave the apartment building incase they just wandered off."

"Okay, hurry," Bev sniffled, trying to gain control of her emotions.

"I will, I promise."

Olivia hung up and ran her good had through her hair. She set the pain meds down and settled on some regular ibuprofen, she wanted to be alert to help Bev. She walked into the bedroom and dressed as quietly as she could with one hand. She placed a light good bye kiss on Alex's temple. The pressure caused Alex to wake up a little.

"Where are you going," Alex asked without opening her eyes. She knew what the temple kiss meant.

"Bev Jones, from my old apartment building called. Her kids are missing? She asked me to come down," Olivia answered in a whisper. "Go back to sleep, I'll see you tomorrow."

On her way out the door Olivia called Jessie. Then she called Cragen to tell him they had a case. She hailed a cab and gave the address.

Bev buzzed Olivia in immediately and had the door open for her by the time the detective stepped out of the elevator.

Olivia stepped into the apartment. Not a whole lot had changed since the last time she was in the place. Everything was fairly tidy. You could tell the kids were older now, the games and toys that were left mid play were more mature and there were video game controllers strung off the entertainment system. Olivia did some quick math in her head before speaking.

"Okay Bev. I need to get a description out on your kids. Petey is 8 now, and Becky is 10?"

"That's right, you've got a good memory," Bev gave a weak smile. "Petey's hair darkened its brown now, a little shaggy. Becky is still blonde and cut in a page boy cut. They were both wearing Pajamas. Becky is a little taller then Petey, but not by much. He has started to become a little tall for his age. Their PJs were both solid blue flannal bottoms with white t-shirt tops. I think Petey might have been wearing a sweatshirt. I was letting them stay up late and play video games because they don't have school tomorrow. The school is closed for some major repair work on the roof, they didn't want the kids there just in case. I thought it was a special treat."

Olivia was writing furiously to get a written description of the two kids.

"Bev its not your fault. You couldn't have know something like this would happen. Even if they were taken being in bed probably wouldn't have mattered. The important thing now is find them. Okay. Do you have any recent pictures?"

"Um, yes," Bev spun around and rushed over to the desk in the corner of the living room. "Here are this years school photos. I'm a little late getting them over to Grandma."

"Thank you," Olivia couldn't help but grin and the goofy smiled little boy and the pretty young girl smiling back at her from the sheet of photos.

Just then there was another knock at the door. Both Cragen and Jessie where there.

"We were both at the precinct when you called," Cragen said.

"Hello I'm detective Jessie Clay," Jessie said as she entered the apartment.

"Detective," Bev nodded.

"Bev, this is my new partner. Elliot is teaching at the academy now. You can trust her."

"Here are the descriptions and pictures of the kids." Olivia said handing them to Cragen.

"Do we know how long they have been missing," Cragen asked Olivia and Bev.

"I went to get the mail at 10, they were here playing video games. They were starting to get tired and said that after the next save point they were going to bed. They had just gotten this new game and wanted to get as far as they could. With no school tomorrow I thought as a treat to let them play later and longer since they got all their homework done. When I came back, about 5 minutes later round trip, I found the tv off and no one in the living room so I thought they went to bed. I put the mail on the counter and went their rooms to check on them. They weren't there. So I tried my room, no one, and the bathroom, no one. I went back out to the living room to see if they were playing and hiding on me. But no one was here. I called out their names, then yelled out their names. I tried looking in the laundry room and retraced my steps back to the mail box wondering if they followed me. I had locked them in the apartment though. So I went around the whole building looking, nothing after an hour of searching I called Olivia, because I found this back in my mailbox when I went down for a 3rd time."

"Why didn't you tell me," Olivia said taking the paper out of Bev's hands.

"I hadn't gotten the chance to." Tears were streaming out of her eyes. She didn't want to mess up.

"Its okay Bev its not your fault. I didn't ask. You did say 'he' took my kids when you called."

Olivia read the note than handed to Cragen. Jessie read over his shoulder.

The note read in scratchy handwriting: "Paybacks a bitch, bitch. I can't get a job now because of you. I want 100,000 dropped of at the South Gate of Central Park, under the second bench on the right, by noon." It was signed: the star of your nightmares.

Cragen took the note along with the picture and descriptions and placed them in his suit jacket pocket.

"Jessie I want you to get back to the precinct and get on the computer and the phone and find out what the status of Tom Pullman is at Rikers."

Jessie was out the door almost before Cragen was finished speaking.

"Olivia I want you to stay here incase the kidnapper tries to call or make any other contact. I'm going to send a CSU team over here to see if we can figure out how he got in. I'm going to go get an Amber Alert out on the kids." Cragen walked out the door quickly, pulling his cell phone out as he went.

Olivia and Bev moved out of the entryway, where the detectives had been gathered and into the kitchen. Bev stood ringing her hands together.

"Can I make a cup of tea," Bev was unable to settle down.

"Sure," Olivia sensed that Bev wanted to keep busy.

CSU arrived about 40 minutes after Cragen left. Olivia let them in and walked them through the case. They dusted the doorknob, both sides, the doorknocker and the peephole. They also searched around the carpet in the hall for any clues and the entryway of the house. It was noted that the kids shoes and coats were still in the house. They also looked in the kids' bedrooms and dusted the window frames. They found some odd residue on the carpets on the inside of Petey's room under the window. It looked like rust.

"Bev, was the door still locked when you came back from getting the mail," Olivia poked her head back into the kitchen.

Bev was silent for a moment, "Yes. I remember using the key and having it unlock. You can only lock the door with the key."

Olivia went back to inform the CSU team. After about an hour of combing the apartment CSU packed up.

"We'll get this to the lab and run the finger prints and find out what that residue really is. I'll be able to run them fairly quickly. I'll call you when I get the results," the CSU investigator said as he and his partner stepped out into the hallway.

Olivia shut the door behind them and took up wait with Bev in the kitchen again.

"I can't just sit here Olivia."

"I know, but the best thing to do is let CSU, Jessie and the Captain do their jobs."

"Do you really think it was Tom who took them?"

"We don't know yet, but he is a suspect, until we can confirm that he is still at Rikers," Olivia took a sip of her tea. "Why don't you tell me what you have been doing the last couple years. How's the old neighborhood?"

Olivia thought if she could keep Bev talking the time would pass faster than if they just sat there waiting.

"The neighborhood is good. A single father and his son moved into your old apartment. A good man. He is a stockbroker and his son is 9. We have his son Jake over for dinner sometimes when his dad has to work late. His birthday is late in the year so he is actually in Petey's class at school. Its nice for the kids to have a friend in the building. Brian is such a good dad, he takes Jake to Yankee games and makes sure he is home by dinner most nights, when he is not he gets home by 9. He is always spending time with Jake. He took Petey with them to the last game. Petey wouldn't stop talking about it for a week," Bev smiled weakly.

"Becky is growing up so fast. I'm so glad that she and her brother get along so well. It is a dream really. Such good good kids. How are you doing? We miss having you around."

Olivia smiled, she did miss the old place. It was a decent apartment, it just wasn't big enough for both her stuff and Alex's stuff. That and they wanted a place that was theirs, no one with a claim on it.

"I'm doing well. Alex and I have been together for almost 3 years. Our apartment is great. I do miss the old neighborhood though sometimes. The neighbors are different, nice but not the same. But I'm really not there enough and out in the neighborhood to get to know people. Work has been pretty busy with Elliot getting shot and then going on a long leave. He is 6 months into a 9 month stay at the acacemy. He really likes teaching and the cadets really like him. His experience that he can pass on in the classroom is incredible. I'm thinking he may stay on longer. Jessie is working out well though. Except for our little accident yesterday…" Olivia held up her hand.

The two talked for a long time, suddenly it was 5:30.

The kids had been missing for 6 hours.

Olivia had called Cragen at about 2 to get an update.

Rikers was on lockdown for a brawl in the showers. One prisoner dead. They were having trouble getting any information from them. A computer search found that Tom Pullman was released on parole for good behavior. He had 2 and a half more years on his sentence. They had been trying all night to track down his parole officer, but since it was the middle of the night and Pullman had only been released a few days ago, it was difficult. The fingerprints were not finding a match, they think they might have just been Bev's. They were definitly Adult finger prints, too large for a childs. CSU came back to print Bev at about 2:30. They called at 3:15 saying that the prints were Bev's. They were still shifting through all the other prints from the door. There were about 8 different sets.

All the while Olivia and Bev were telling stories just waiting.

A knock at the door startled the two women. Olivia went to answer the door. There was a half dressed man at the door. His pants were on and his shirt was on but not buttoned, his feet were bare and his hair was shower fresh. His eyes were wild with fear.

"Where's Bev!"

Bev stepped out of the kitchen to see who was there.

"Brian," Bev cried as she stepped into Brian's embrace.

"I just saw the news. The Amber Alert is all over the TV. Why didn't you call or something."

"I didn't want to bother you." Fresh tears spilling forth.

"Shhhh, its going to be okay. What happened."

Brian stepped into the kitchen and Bev introduced Olivia and retold the story including what has been going on all night over a fresh pot of coffee.

"Where's Jake?" Bev asked after she finished the story.

"He is with his mom's parents. After she died a few years ago, he goes and spend special time with them every couple weeks. With the day off I thought it would be best if he spend it with them to save on babysitter and they missed last time because they had a bug."

Bev nodded.

"Oh my God! Bev I don't believe it. So they think it's the man who raped you who took them. Why didn't you move."

"I liked the neighborhood and I didn't want that man to ruin my life. Now he has."

Brian hugged Bev again, "Do you want me to stay, I'm sure I can get an emergency day off."

"No, no you go to work, I'll be fine. Thank you though."

"At least let me check on you when I get back."

Bev nodded.

"Alright. Nice to meet you Detective Benson." Brian shook hands with Olivia before leaving.

After the door shut behind him Olivia spoke.

"So you too?"

"We haven't had time to date, both being single parents and all. We do spend a lot of time together. Help each other out. You know. He's the best man I know. Maybe some day."

"He seems great Bev. Caring, sweet, handsome, and clean."

Bev laughed, then got really quiet, like she was ashamed of laughing.

"Its okay Bev."

Olivia's phone started ringing.

"Benson."

"Olivia, is Bev alright I just stepped out of the shower and saw the news. Oh my God. I'm on my way to work right now."

"She's okay considering, there seems to be a shower and news pattern happening though."

"What? Oh never mind, tell me later. Cragen is beeping in. I'll talk to you later."

It was a whirlwind conversation. It left a sleep deprived Olivia a little overwhelmed.

Her hand started to throb hard. It had started aching again a few hours ago, but had been trying to ignore it.

"Do you have any ibuprofen?"

"Yeah. Here." Bev handed her a bottle from the cabinet above the fridge.

Olivia downed 2 of the small pills with her coffee. Her phone rang again. This time it was Cragen. He wanted them at the precinct.

/a few hours later/

Turns out Tom Pullman never met with his parole officer. He had slipped through the cracks because the officer was too busy. Luckily it was only a few days. So no one was looking for Pullman, until now. CSU finally matched some prints. On the outside of the window to Petey's room. The detectives figured that he was expecting them to be in bed. They were a match to Pullman. The rust was from the fire escape.

It was still a question as to how he got the two kids down the fire escape with out visible evidence of a struggle.

The Amber Alert was producing a lot of leads. Each one looked into carefully. They didn't want to miss a trick. There really was no telling what this man was capable of. Best case, the kids are just scared. The detectives didn't want to think about the worst case, but they kept bouncing it around in the back of their heads.

Cragen had gotten the money. They were going to try and set up a sting at the park, it was their only option left, it was already 11. They only had an hour. In the case that Pullman was watching, they were going to have Bev place the money in the spot, but they would have Jessie on the sidewalk behind her, disguised as a jogger. Olivia would be hidden and 3 plain clothes officers would be scattered around that area of the park. Munch and Fin had come in that morning and jumped into the case. Fin was going to sit the van and Munch was continuing shifting through the Amber Alert calls.

Alex was sitting impatiently in her office trying to do paper work. She was due in court after lunch. When Olivia was doing a sting and she knew about it, it made her nervous.

They were leaving for the park in 30 minutes.

TBC…

a/n2: I forgot that Elliot was teaching at the Academy when i was writing this. I think i caught all the inconsistancies. If not i'll go back and fix them. thanks.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey everyone, there is no good excuse for my absence. Other then my lishbug sized portion of writers block and graduating from college and just real life in general. Thanks for all the reviews. I can't believe you guys remember Amanda. Haha. That's awesome! She was mentioned at the end of one chapter eons ago and was actually in half a chapter, one scene, forever ago. When I started writing this piece I went through and listed all my original characters and I picked a bunch to revisit. I think Amanda is due for a return! Not quite yet though, I think later on. First I must wrap up Bev's problem. (that is if I can get my act together.)

Truth Seekers 

**3**

Jessie jogged a little ways up the sidewalk and sat down on the ground to do some stretches. Olivia was crouched up the walk hidden in a cluster of trees. Fin was sitting in a van that was parked in the public parking area. He was talking to Jessie and Olivia through the ear pieces each were wearing.

Bev had the bag of money and was on her way to the park in a taxi that was being driven by another detective from the precinct. The taxi pulled up to the gate and Bev hopped out swinging the bag of money over her shoulder. She made her way to the second bench on the right and placed the money filled bag underneath and started walking away, back toward the cab.

The note hadn't been specific as to what was going to happen next. Suddenly Fin perked up in the van. A man with 2 kids was entering the park from the gate he was parked outside.

"Olivia I see him. He is wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt with dark blue jeans and what looked like a possible firearm tucked in his pants. The hood is up and he has the two kids with him. They look exactly like Bev described them as, down to the clothes they are wearing. He should be starting to approach you now. I'm on my way."

"Copy that."

Olivia turned around to look behind her and sure enough there he was. He had broken out in a run as he got closer to the bench. The kids were struggling to keep up and not be dragged. When he reached the bench he released his grasp on the kids and bent to pick up the bag.

Meanwhile Fin had jumped out the back of the van and was sprinting up the path.

As Fin approached the trio Jessie stepped closer as she got up from her stretching. Olivia maneuvered her way toward the kids, behind Pullman's back as he pawed through the bag checking its authenticity.

"POLICE," Fin yelled and in an instant Olivia broke off into a quick sprint, Fin and Jessie pulled their guns, and Olivia quickly picked up Petey and grabbed Becky's arm to pull her out of the way.

Pullman startled, dropped the bag, grabbed his gun and spun around.

"Put the gun down Pullman its all over," Fin called out to him.

"I just need to live."

"Put the gun down and we can see to that," Jessie replied.

"I can't live in prison."

"Put the gun down and get on your knees."

Pullman took one last look down the barrel of each gun then fell to his knees and dropped his gun.

Jessie walked up to him and kicked the gun out of his reach as Fin kept his gun trained on him. She then cuffed him and signaled for the waiting cruiser to take him away.

/back at the precinct/

Olivia pulled out the chair, sat down and placed her arms on the table. Tom Pullman sat on the other side of the table and stared back at her. The two sat their for quite a while in silence.

"So nothing to say Tom?"

Olivia was met with silence.

"Well you see Tom, we got you on so many violations that you've got at least, at least 10 more years inside."

More silence.

"Alright Tom."

Olivia stood up and went into the observation room where Jessie and Cragen where watching.

"He won't talk."

"I don't think we'll need him to," Cragen offered.

Alex came into the observation room.

"I just got the call. Is he saying anything?"

"No," Olivia answered.

The ADA nodded before continuing, "Well, we have him on parole violations. There is also no doubt that he took the children. I just wish we knew why."

"Me too. Let's just book him. It will probably all come out in trial," Cragen leaned against the window ledge with his arms crossed as he spoke.

Olivia and Jessie gathered Tom Pullman up and took him down to process him.

After the two detectives had left Alex turned to Cragen.

"How is Bev?"

"She's shook up, happy to have her kids back."

"I can't believe all this woman has been through."

"I don't know, but if I where her I'd move."

Alex couldn't help but smile, "Me too."

/Else where in the great city of NY/

Elliot Stabler drove his blue sedan home through the evening rush hour traffic. He thought about the last few months as the train of cars leaving the city picked up speed. He had been at the academy for 6 months. He could barely believe it. The radio station he was listening to switched to the news.

"If you had been following the amber alert from last night and hadn't heard, the two Jones children were returned home earlier this afternoon thanks to the Manhattan SVU. According the DA's office the man responsible has been charged and is awaiting trial. In other news…"

Elliot switched off the radio and smiled, he was proud of his old colleagues. He pulled into his driveway and was greeted at the door by the twins. He had enjoyed more than anything being home for dinner every single night for the past 6 months.

Kathy was in the kitchen when he walked in the house. Elliot walked up and gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Does this feel surreal to you Elliot?" She asked as she stirred the sauce.

"What, me being home every night?" Elliot smiled as he reached for the plates to set the table.

"You have been home every night since you started working at the academy, we were lucky before if you were home more than 2 nights in a row."

"I know. I'm sorry about that. I feel like I missed out on so much."

"Do you miss the SVU?" Kathy asked after placing dinner on the table

"I do. I would miss my family even more," Elliot replied pointedly.

Kathy wrapped her arms around Elliot and called for the children to come for dinner.

The twins thundered into the kitchen and the four Stablers settled into a happy supper. It was picture perfect. In the back of Elliot's mind he couldn't shake the feeling that something big was going to happen, everything was just working too well it seemed.

/Olivia and Alex's Apartment/

"We need to talk."

Alex put down her book and looked up at Olivia who was standing in her pajamas across the bedroom and waited for her to continue.

"Its about Jessie."

Alex took her glasses off and folded them in her lap.

"I think her son is in some kind of trouble."

Alex breathed a sigh and placed her glasses on the bedside table, "What makes you think that."

"She has him on a tight leash. He is to come to the precinct and or at least check in with her by phone every day after school. Right after she started working her he came in and they left abruptly in the middle of the day when he should have been I school."

"What do you think we can do about it? Are you certain something is wrong?"

"No. I'm just worried. Jessie and I don't have the same repartee that Elliot and I had."

"You miss him?"

"Like an arm."

"He is doing well."

"I know. Its just hard not seeing your best friend every day when your use too."

"I know. Lets just settle in for the night and worry about getting some sleep, we have bad guys to catch and put away."

/the clay residence/

"Good day?" James asked Jessie as they settled into bed.

"We saved some kids, caught a bad guy and Alex thinks she can get the guy put in jail for a long time. I'd say it was a good day."

"Well since you are in a good mood do you think we can talk about Vic."

"What is there to talk about. He broke his parole. We promised the judge in Buffalo that he wouldn't be a problem. His record is sealed, but only if he completes this parole. I think my coworkers are getting suspicious."

"Maybe you should talk to them. What about your Captain he seems like a good guy."

"How do you tell the Captain of the Special Victims Unit that one of his detectives' son's is a juvenile sex offender."

"He is not a sex offender."

"It all falls under the same category… I don't want to discuss it. Good Night." Jessie rolled over and turned her back on James.

/1-6 Precinct, the next afternoon/

Olivia was pacing in front of the pin board with Munch, mulling over a case the two had caught earlier in the day. Fin was talking on the phone with a lead and Jessie had been sifting through paperwork all day. Everyone was pretty wrapped up in their work when the Captain came into the bullpen.

"Jessie could I see you for a second."

Jessie stood up slowly and followed the captain with her head bowed, into his office.

Cragen shut the door and took his place on the edge of his desk. Jessie leaned against a table by the window.

"You have been slacking detective. You've been with the unit for about a half a year now. I want you to know that you can come to me. Do you need some time off? You have a little bit of time coming to you soon. I can work it out to give it to you now."

"I don't need it now," Jessie crossed her arms in a shielding manner.

"What's going on Jessie? Your work is being affected by what ever it is. Let's try to leave psych and IAB out of it."

"Its my son Victor. He has been around a lot lately and taking up a lot of my attention. He is suppose to be on parole for electronically peeping on girls. The conditions of which are to stay away from any type of camera and see a psychiatrist two times a week until it is determined by the courts and 2 appointed psychiatrists that he can be cut back. It was the only plea we could get that wouldn't put him in Juvenile and there is still a chance now that he has broken his parole, by skipping out on sessions that he will be put on the sex offender's list."

Cragen nodded, "his records are sealed then."

"That was part of the bargain. He was 15 when this happened in Buffalo. It's been 2 years, and lately he has been edgy and flying off the handle. I just don't know what to do with him anymore."

"Is he back to following his parole."

"He better be, his parole officer down here and I have him checking in every day with me. We were suppose to go to court next week to see about cutting back, but I don't know if that is such a good idea anymore."

"This is a rather unconventional way of handling this."

"I know, but it was working I thought, until we moved here."

"Maybe you should take some time off."

"No, I'll be fine Captain. Thank you."

A/N: I'm going to have to end it here for now. Truth Seekers is not done though there is at least one more chapter. We haven't sought the whole truth yet. Why is Vic so out of it? Does Elliot's suspicions about something bad on the horizon come true? Are there going to be anymore lovey doveyness between Alex and Olivia of any kind? Am I really going to bring Amanda back eventually? I guess all of us are going to have to wait and see what is to come next.


End file.
